1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to car wash stations, and more particularly to a car wash station that includes an anti-fraud system that prevents a user from injecting water into the car wash station for the purpose of attempting to trick the station in to remaining on longer than the allotted time for which the user has paid.
2. Description of Related Art
Injecting water into an automated system such as a car wash station will sometimes damage the station so that it remains stuck in the “on” position, enabling a dishonest user to wash his or her car for only a small amount of money, and sometimes even enabling him or her to wash several vehicles for the small initial payment. This process is known as “salting” the machine.
This is particularly a problem in the field of car wash systems, because the car wash system provides a ready supply of water along with a high powered sprayer that can be used for spraying the water into a payment system of the car wash system.
While the problem has not been addressed in the field of car wash systems, the prior art teaches various “anti-salting” features in the field of vending machines. The prior art teaches the use of a moisture sensor to detect water in the machine, and then turn off power to the machine until the machine is manually reset by a service technician. Examples include the following:
Robirds, U.S. Pat. No. 5,377,804, teaches a moisture-detecting apparatus for bill validators and coin mechanisms used in vending machines. The apparatus is designed to prevent vandalism by “salting” vending machines, which results in loss of product, monies, and damage to the machines. The apparatus includes a moisture-detecting probe that functions to shut off the logic lines and power to the bill validator, stopping damage to the bill validator, power supply, and coin mechanism power side. The moisture-detecting probe includes a nylon mesh having a pair of copper foil strips. When the probe gets wet, the mesh absorbs the moisture, completes a circuit between the copper foil strips, and shuts off the vending machine.
Burton, U.S. Pat. No. 4,264,000, teaches a coin operated vending machine having a pair of spaced conductors mounted on a coin chute and in position to be bridged by any electrically conductive liquid squirted into the coin slot. Bridging of the conductors by the liquid completes a circuit which disconnects vending circuitry from its power source. The spaced conductors are mounted on a non-conductive support which prevents a coin itself from contacting and bridging the conductors.
Barnes et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,318,164, teaches an anti-salting module for reducing vandalism and minimizing damage from liquids injected into a vending machine. The anti-salting module has a housing with an integral tray for collecting liquids, and is connected beneath a bill validator in a vending machine. A rubber fillet is connected to the rear of the bill validator and directs injected fluids to the tray. A moisture sensor integral to the tray is connected to detection and control circuitry. When moisture is detected, the detection and control circuitry operates to interrupt power and control signals to the bill validator. Other external sensors, such as a second moisture sensor and a continuity sensor for monitoring the status of other vending machine components, may also be connected to the detection and control circuitry. After moisture has been detected, vending machine power and control signals can be restored only when moisture is no longer present, and a SET switch is depressed by service personnel. The above-described references are hereby incorporated by reference in full.
A problem with the prior art systems is that while shutting off the vending machine helps to protect the vending machine and to prevent theft of vended products, it leaves the vending machine inoperative for a period of time, and also requires a visit by a service technician to restart the machine. It would be preferred if a timer of the machine were temporarily shut off to protect the machine, but then automatically restarted without manual intervention on the part of the owner of the machine, allowing a user to insert money and restart the machine once the moisture has drained from the machine.
The prior art teaches various anti-salting mechanisms in the field. However, the prior art does not teach an anti-fraud system for a car wash station that temporarily turns off power to the timer of the car wash station when water is injected into the station, checks the car wash station to see if it is dry after a period of time, and then returns power to the timer once the water has drained from the car wash station. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages as described in the following summary.